Square One...Again

Well, it’s official. Eddie has completely screwed me over.

“Did you hear anything?” I practically pounced on Molly after she walked through the door. Her face was unreadable.

“I did.” She said putting her bag down heavily and avoiding my eyes, “He blacklisted you, Faith.”

“Shit.” I said collapsing on the couch.

Molly came and sat down next to me.

“It gets worse.”

“HOW!?” I said on the verge of tears.

“Faith, he destroyed your reputation. I couldn’t even get my friends to offer you a job after swearing up and down that what they’d heard was false and that you were a dream to work with. He screwed you.”

"They didn't believe you?"

"It's not that...they just don't want to piss him off. Eddie has given a lot of artists their leg up into the industry and loyalty is a big deal to him. I'm sure they believed every word I said but..."

"But I'm not worth hiring if it means being on Eddie's bad side. I get it."

I sat there and petted Murphy, who’d jumped on my lap. I had no words for what I was feeling.

“I’m really sorry, Faith.” Molly said after a long silence, “Maybe Zeke can help you out? He’s worked more closely with you than I have and his opinion may weigh more. He also doesn't seem to care if he pisses Eddie off or not.”

I nodded and wiped a tear away before picking Murphy up and walking to my room so I could be alone. I was completely devastated. But I took a few days and decided to get back in touch with Eddie. I didn’t even give him an option to decline meeting with me. I just showed up at the theatre and waited for him.

I was waiting outside the side door where I knew Eddie would enter when he arrived. He stopped as he came around the corner and realized I was waiting for him, as if deciding if he should turn around and walk away.

“Hi Eddie. I think we need to have a little chat.” I said as sweetly as I could.

He grunted as he unlocked the door and I followed him to his office past the scene shop. I plopped down in a chair and waited for Eddie to acknowledge me. He sat down across from me and we stared at each other in an icy silence. Sensing that he refused to talk first, I started.

“Eddie, did you blacklist me?” I asked innocently.

Eddie surveyed me silently. He was hard to read and his eyes were slits as he looked me up and down.

“Yes.” He said.

I was surprised by his honesty. I had expected him to deny it.

“Why?” I asked suddenly intense.

“You know why!” He said pounding his fist on his desk, “You went behind my back and tried to steal my theatre!”

“I did NOT!” I said angrily, “It was MY idea to invite you to be a member of the board! I wanted you involved as soon as I heard that you weren’t. You can ask anyone that was there, they’ll tell you.”

I crossed my arms and gave him a dirty look.

“I don’t care! You were still part of it all. Too little, too late!” He shrugged nonchalantly and I burned with rage.

“Eddie, this is my CAREER.” I said angrily.

“Yeah? And this theatre is mine! How’s it feel to have what’s yours sabotaged?”

“Why me?” I asked flabbergasted, “Why not Zeke? He’s the one who got us all together.”

“I tried it. He’s been around too long. No one would believe me. But you…you deserve to learn what loyalty is early in your career. Good luck having one now.”

Eddie turned away and began fiddling with some papers as if to signify our conversation being over.

I got up and sighed.

“Fine, Eddie. Good luck with everything.”

I walked out of the theatre and felt my eyes burn with tears. What Eddie has done is irreparable. I’m still going to call Zeke and see if he can help me out but I don’t have a lot of hope. I’m back to where I was years ago; with no career, no idea what I’m doing with my life, and no way to figure it out.

Therapy should be real fun this week.